Link Click - Season 1

It has been quite a while since I have come across a time travel drama this good. I can only think of Erased or the original Steins;Gate as a comparable equivalent, however, this anime series is perhaps even better in some ways (like the pacing of the narrative). The main reason why Link Click works so well is because everything happens on a powerful emotional level, plus the screenplay is excellent. There is no complex plot exposition, no extensive explanation of how the main protagonist’s special powers and abilities work, and what can go wrong; the show tries to show rather than tell. In addition, the viewer gradually discovers more rules that expand on the whole opening premise and give everything a much deeper and more interesting dimension. Sure, these extensions of what has already been said can sometimes feel like crutches for further plot development. However, they still make sense. The way they deal with causality works quite well too, and if you take in the various little details in the narrative, everything will make sense. This anime series also succeeds at creating a suitably decent emotional show, it manages to move you at the right moments, and thanks to a fairly brisk pace and good twists, it can also keep the viewer on tenterhooks. The first episode was a taste of the possibilities and a decent introduction to everything. However, the second episode has a very good narrative and gets emotional, with the next part being literally perfect and very strong after that. The following narrative concerning Dou Dou is again a bit weaker albeit still great. Then there is the conclusion itself which had at least one moment that gave me goosebumps and a fabulous ending that made me want to watch more episodes immediately because now it is going to be even more awesome! The characters are believable, likable and thanks to the skillful direction and very well-written screenplay, they all seem very human. Therefore it is no problem to empathize with their situations. The main protagonists are well-drawn and complement each other perfectly, and it is easy to deduce why they need each other, not just in terms of their special powers and abilities. Everything is wrapped up in satisfactory animation and accompanied by a very good soundtrack, which is dominated by a decent opening and ending, even though there are also situations in the anime series itself where the music is excellent (like during the karaoke in the last episode). I would never have expected one of the best anime series of 2021 to be from China, and it is proof that we should not be ignoring non-Japanese productions because this anime series deserves five stars, in my opinion. It was a brisk, strong, thoughtful, and quality experience. 9.5/10. (06/28/2023)